Kathmandu: While stakeholders are advocating an appropriate education policy, the government has planned to issue a white paper to regulate the education sector right from the primary to the university level.

Education Minister Ganga Lal Tuladhar said that the Ministry of Education (MoE) is holding consultations with various stakeholders to draft the paper in order to end malpractices prevailing in the education sector. Tuladhar said that the paper will have a  clear picture of what has been achieved in the education sector and what is to be done in the future. “We have long been hearing that there has not been adequate regulation and monitoring in the field of education. The paper will have a clear picture about the procedure to regulate this sector,” he said.

Speaking during an interaction programme on Saturday, Tuladhar said MoE is working for the formation of an  independent High-Level Monitoring and Inspection Commission to monitor and manage problems existing in the education sector. “The commission will be delegated the power for spot action if it detects any malpractice,” said the  minister.

He added that MoE has proposed to allocate fund for the additional 2,046 teachers’ quota in public higher secondary schools. Currently, the government has been releasing salary for just 1,954 teachers. After Tribhuvan University phased out the Proficiency Intermediate Level, the government has been neglecting 11 and 12 class education. Interestingly, there is no post for government teachers in +2 education and no such schools have permanent affiliation. “The government is also planning to establish at least one science +2 stream in all 240 electoral constituencies of the country,” Tuladhar said.

The minister also gave a seven-day ultimatum to all political parties to submit the names for the post of Vice Chancellors (VC) for seven different universities including Tribhuvan University (TU). These posts are lying vacant for the last two months.

Tuladhar, who is also Co-chancellor of universities, warned the parties that if they failed to give the names of their candidates for VC, he would himself appoint capable and visionary academicians to the posts.

“I have long been waiting as I want to forge consensus before the appointments,” said the minister adding, “If the parties still fail to give the names I will recommend the names using the rights envisioned in Education Act.”

Speaking on the occasion, representatives of Guardians Association of Nepal, Higher Secondary Schools Association of Nepal and others urged the government to bring new acts and policies to address existing problems in the education sector.

source:The Kathmandu Post(2011),"Govt to issue white paper on education ", The Kathmandu Post,2 July 2011